


love me when you can

by captainsourwolf



Series: Creative House [3]
Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: A little bit of angst, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, M/M, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:08:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23238970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainsourwolf/pseuds/captainsourwolf
Summary: Sequel to sing me back home
Relationships: Rhett McLaughlin/Link Neal
Series: Creative House [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1665916
Kudos: 37





	love me when you can

Thirty-five years of knowing the person beside you means learning more about them than Link would’ve ever imagined. Rhett may be the best version of himself that he’s ever been now, but he’s still the same best friend that Link has walked through life with. He loves every version of Rhett that he gets to have.

Link loves the Rhett that didn’t know any better, the one that was afraid to touch or be touched. He loves the Rhett that flew off to Europe because he was scared of _something_ he wouldn’t confess to Link. Link loves the version of his best friend that decided to go against his faith and struggled quietly for six years because of it. 

And he loves this one, too. The soft, gentle one. The one that put himself in therapy almost a year ago because he wanted to be better, not just for himself but for Link, too. This one dances with Link in the kitchen of their new home and lets Link cry into his favorite comfy tee while he continues humming along to their favorite Merle songs. This one holds Link tight and keeps swaying them in circles until they’ve swept the room twice over, and Link finds himself pressed against the nearest counter’s edge. 

“What’s wrong?” Rhett murmurs in between the tracks changing, lips brushing over Link’s hairline with every word. 

Link sniffles and not-so-gracefully wipes his face on Rhett’s shirt again. Sighing, he noses his way along Rhett’s throat, mumbles, “Nothin’.” But Rhett knows him better than his own mama, better than anyone in this world, and can tell when Link is lying. 

“Don’t lie to me, bo.” Rhett digs his fingers into Link’s lower back in a quiet protest. “You know I can tell when you’re lyin’.” 

Link goes quiet, snuffling against Rhett’s throat, a few more tears clinging to his lashes when he blinks. “It’s been–” he pauses, unsure of how to word how he’s feeling. But Rhett, he _knows_. 

Before Link can finish, before he can find the right words to say what he needs to, Rhett is backing up and pulling Link with him. The song finishes and the next one has Link’s heart swooping in his chest. The solemn melody fills the room and he’s instantly taken to his bedroom in Buies Creek, he and Rhett on their backs, record player between them, just two sixteen year olds singing along to words neither of them understood. 

_What I’m tryin’ to say is love me when you can_

Rhett’s humming again, and smiling as he takes Link’s hand and drags him stumbling across the room, into another dance that’s more traditional this time. Link laughs and lets Rhett do as he pleases, their hands clasped together and around each other. He leans into the dance, into the easy rhythm of the music, knowing Rhett won’t let him fall.

They keep on this way, moving through the room one more time, Rhett humming loudly and Link listening with his head resting on Rhett’s chest. And before he knows what’s happening they’re shuffling down the hallway together, the last of the song fading out, Merle coming to a soft close as the playlist ends. 

Rhett says nothing as he backs Link into the not bedroom. Instead he fits his hands around Link’s waist and ducks down for a kiss that’s hot and insistent, a welcome distraction from the overwhelmingness of the day, causing an eruption of butterflies in Link’s belly. Moaning softly when Rhett nips at his bottom lip, Link grabs at Rhett’s shirt and tugs at it. He keeps tugging until Rhett finally moves away far enough that Link can shove the shirt up and over his torso and off his arms. It hits the floor and the back of Link’s knees hit the bed.

In times like these, when Link needs it most, Rhett knows exactly what to do. He knows the right pace, the right places to touch, how hard or fast Link wants it. Link watches him quietly and props himself up on his elbows, legs falling open invitingly. Dropping to his knees between Link’s spread legs, Rhett smooths his hands up Link’s thighs, only stopping when he reaches the waistband of Link’s jeans. He fingers the button then pops it open and drags the zipper down slowly. 

Link bites his lip, lifts his hips so Rhett can drag the jeans off and down his legs, carefully removing them where they bunch around his ankles before tossing them to the side. The stirring in his gut increases tenfold and his cock twitches in his underwear. Rhett kisses his way across Link’s skin, nipping little bites into his sensitive inner thighs and drawing a gasp from Link. 

“Please don’t tease,” Link moans when Rhett reaches his crotch, hot breath ghosting over the material. Rhett huffs a laugh and grasps Link’s tight briefs, removing them in one swift tug and pull. The cool air of the room feels good on his naked skin. 

And then Rhett is back, hand closing around Link’s half-hard cock and his lips closing around the head. He sucks lightly and sinks down slowly till he meets his own hand, and Link drops to the bed with a soft groan of appreciation. After the complete _overwhelm_ of the day, slipping up and calling this their new home on camera, the dancing, the singing—it feels good to have Rhett’s mouth and hand on him, coaxing him to full hardness with his tongue and his grip.

In no time Link is panting and moaning, hands gripping Rhett’s wild curls, hips bucking into Rhett’s mouth. He’s desperate for more, tries to sit up to say so, but Rhett pins him down, slows the movement of his hips, and hollows his cheeks on the way up and off. He grins up at Link with a wet beard and mustache, his mouth pink and swollen and connected by a string of spit and precum. Link loses his voice at the sight.

With a final pump, Rhett removes his hand from Link’s cock and watches it slap wetly to his stomach. “You’re desperate for it tonight,” he murmurs then he’s sitting back and reaching for the night stand drawer for the lube. He stands and tosses the bottle on the bed before quickly taking off his own jeans and underwear.

Link watches, chest heaving, and can’t deny that he is desperate for it. He’s desperate for Rhett to work him open, crowd him into the mattress, weigh him down and fuck him deep. Just the thought of it has his cock twitching on his stomach, leaving a sticky mess on his abs. When Rhett is _finally_ crawling over him and grabbing the lube again, Link whines a little, raising his hips in search of the contact he wants.

“Scooch up,” Rhett orders gently. Link does until his entire body is stretched out on the bed and Rhett can fit himself between Link’s knees. He kisses each knee, popping the cap on the lube so he can squeeze some onto his fingers.

The first press of Rhett’s finger against his hole has Link sucking in a breath and releasing it as a low moan. Another kiss to one knee and Rhett pushes in farther and farther still until he’s knuckle deep. Link’s hands fly up to Rhett’s shoulders, holding on with a tight grip.

“You okay?” Rhett asks. Link nods and Rhett leans down for a kiss.

For several moments Rhett works Link open with two fingers then three until Link is keening for more, back arching and nails digging into Rhett’s shoulders. This is what he wanted and _fuck_ if it doesn’t feel amazing, but he needs more.

Whimpering, Link drags Rhett into another kiss, followed by a quiet, “Fuck me, _please_ ,” murmured against his lips.

At the same time Rhett presses a kiss to Link’s jaw he lines himself up and pushes in slowly. Link clings to him and hooks his ankles on Rhett’s lower back, urges him to go a little faster, a little deeper, a little _more_. When Rhett sinks all the way in Link exhales slow and shaky and tangles a hand in Rhett’s hair as Rhett stills, flush against Link’s body and cock buried deep.

“I’m fine, ‘m fine, move,” Link says into Rhett’s ear after a beat. He clings tighter and digs his heels into Rhett’s back, persistent and silently begging him to move.

So Rhett does. He leans on his elbows over Link and kisses him and starts out slow. Leaves Link breathless and moaning, hands roaming over Rhett’s strong back and through his hair and over his chest, unable to find a place to settle. But it’s fine. As long as he can keep touching Rhett he’s good.

Soon the pace goes from slow and deep to a bit faster, a bit harder. Rhett threads his fingers through Link’s sweat damp, messy hair and tilts his head back for a deep kiss, Link moaning as he’s weighed down, pressed into the mattress by Rhett’s closeness. His cock is trapped between them, the friction provided by their joined bodies pushing him closer and closer to the edge.

Rhett shifts, just enough, and Link gasps into their kiss. He’s so close, so close, he can taste it. To get himself there he digs his heels in harder, urges Rhett on faster, back arching off the bed. He can’t help the whine, can’t help tugging on his own hair the closer he gets.

“Come on, baby, cum for me,” Rhett rumbles and Link feels it in his chest where they’re pressed together. It only takes Rhett’s deep voice and one more thrust for Link to gasp, and then he’s cumming, untouched, in thick ropes between their bodies. He rides the waves of pleasure as Rhett moans and follows, collapsing to the side of Link when he’s finished.

It takes a few moments but when Link finally catches his breath he realizes his eyes are damp. Before he can wipe the tears away Rhett is swiping a thumb gently under each eye. He kisses each cheek and all over Link’s face, down the column of his throat, and keeps going till he’s at Link’s belly, licking up every sticky drop on his skin.

“That tickles.”

Rhett huffs a laugh and sits back to look at Link. His expression is fond as he smiles and leans down over him, kissing him sweetly.

“Feel better?” Rhett asks, brushing Link’s damp hair off his forehead.

Link nods, voice suddenly thick with emotion he can’t explain.

“Rhett?”

Rhett scoots to his side and draws Link close, back to chest, ignoring the mess they’ve made for the time being. He sighs and kisses the back of Link’s neck.

“Yeah?”

“I—“ His throat closed up on the words, _I love you_.

But Rhett always knows. He always knows what Link is trying to say, whether it’s so many words or so few words.

“I know.”

Content, Link grabs his hand and holds it close, and soon he’s sleeping.


End file.
